Tudor Black Bay 58 Bronze automatic watch brown dial bronze bracelet 39 mm

A case that “changes”

This boutique edition takes up the characteristic elements of the original Black Bay Fifty-Eight model, with a 39-millimeter-diameter case, but this time designed in bronze, an aesthetic nod to the brasses of old ships and other scuba equipment but also to the characteristic proportions of the first TUDOR diver's watches dating from the second half of the 1950s, notably the famous reference 7924 or “Big Crown”, the first TUDOR watch water-resistant to 200 meters, presented in 1958.

The choice of a “living” metal - in this case a high-performance cupro-aluminium alloy used notably in naval engineering for submerged components that must demonstrate very high resistance to corrosion, such as propellers for example, will give the watch a unique patina that will evolve over time, reflecting the lifestyle of its owner. In addition to its highly functional appearance, in line with the marine universe to which it pays homage, the Black Bay Bronze features a fully satin-finish, guaranteeing a uniform evolution of this patina.

The combination of a domed dial in a matte “brown-bronze” tone, in concentric gradation from the outside to the center, a matched bezel with gold accents that are echoed on the hands and hour markers, completes the face of this model. The emblematic Snowflake hands, introduced by TUDOR in 1969 and coated with Swiss Super-LumiNova® grade A luminous material, are a nod to the brand's rich heritage in scuba diving. The visual effect is that of a rich, patinated object that has sailed the world's seas on its owner's wrist for many years, and has “come to terms” with him and his lifestyle.

Two bracelets: bronze and fabric

While TUDOR has been exploring bronze for several years in its collection, this is the first time with the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze model that the brand has dared with a bracelet made entirely of bronze. The satin-finish links, in the style of the TUDOR riveted bracelets of the 50s and 60s, match the case and promise to develop a patina at the same rate. Also satin-finish, a new bronze clasp with redesigned cover and TUDOR “T-fit” quick length adjustment system completes the all-bronze look. Easy to use, requiring no tools and offering 5 positions, this practical device enables the wearer of the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze to make instant fine adjustments over an 8mm total strap length adjustment window.

Always with the idea of paying tribute to the brand's naval heritage, TUDOR offers an additional bracelet with this model. Inspired by a common practice within the French Navy, TUDOR has revisited a historic concept: the personalization of diving watches. For decades, the French Navy received TUDOR watch heads, which were then fitted with specific bracelets, often created by hand, to meet the needs of its divers. One of these watches was found with a strap made from elastics recovered from endowed French ventral parachutes. It is to this ultra-functional relic, recognizable by its yellow central thread, that the “brown-bronze” Jacquard woven strap refers.

This fabric strap, TUDOR's signature since 2010, is hand-woven on 19th-century Jacquard shuttle looms by the Julien Faure company in the Saint-Etienne region of France.

A manufacture caliber

Within this Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze model is the Manufacture MT5400 movement, which displays the hours, minutes and seconds functions. As with all TUDOR movements, this one features the finishes typical of the brand's Manufacture calibers: openworked, satin-finished rotor in monobloc tungsten, sandblasted details on the bridges, and a plate with alternating sandblasted, polished and laser-etched surfaces.

Designed as a toolwatch, the caliber's construction is designed for robustness, longevity, reliability and precision. It features a variable-inertia balance maintained by a solid double-anchored through-bridge. Coupled with a non-magnetic silicon balance-spring, this enables Manufacture Calibre MT5400 to be certified as a chronometer by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), with performance levels that exceed the standards of this independent institution. Indeed, while the COSC tolerates an average daily variation of -4 to +6 seconds in relation to absolute time on a movement alone, TUDOR imposes a -2 / +4 second variation on the running of the fully assembled watch.

Another notable feature is the Manufacture Calibre MT5400's so-called “weekend-proof” power reserve of around 70 hours, enabling the wearer to put the watch down on Friday evening and pick it up again on Monday morning without having to wind it.

In brief

The Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze is a vibrant tribute to the first TUDOR diving watches. Its dial, Snowflake hands and pierced lugs evoke the iconic models of the 50s. Yet this watch is resolutely modern, benefiting from the latest advances in watchmaking. The Black Bay is the perfect balance between tradition and innovation, a condensation of over 60 years of TUDOR expertise.